Antioxidant properties of stingless bee honey and its effect on the viability of lymphoblastoid cell line

Research on the medical benefit of stingless bee honey (kelulut honey) is rather new although it has been used as traditional food and additive for ages. The primary objective of our study was to evaluate the antioxidant properties of kelulut honey and its effect on lymphoblastoid cell line. We analysed the antioxidant properties of kelulut honey by ferric reducing antioxidant potential assay, total phenolic and flavonoid contents using UV spectrophotometry. The total phenolic content, total flavonoid content and ferric reducing antioxidant potential of Malaysian kelulut honey produced by Trigona spp. were found to be 844.45 mg RE/kg honey, 78.29 mg RE/kg honey and 1132.66 mM FE/kg honey, respectively. Our findings showed a strong correlation between total phenolics and flavanoids contents with its antioxidant potential at R2 = 0.920 and R2 = 0.951, respectively. The effect of honey on cell viability of lymphoblastoid cell line (LCL) was also investigated. The cells were cultured in RPMI-1640 medium supplemented with 0 - 500 μg/mL of kelulut honey for 24 hours. Cell viability was quantitated using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium, MTS assay showed that honey supplementation boosted the viability of LCL up to 164.64% (p< 0.01). The significant increase in cell viability might be modulated by the antioxidant properties of kelulut honey

Impact of sleep duration and chronotype on cardiac structure and function: the UK Biobank study.

BACKGROUND: Sleep duration and chronotype have been associated with increased morbidity and mortality. We assessed for associations between sleep duration and chronotype on cardiac structure and function. METHODS: UK Biobank participants with CMR data and without known cardiovascular disease were included. Self-reported sleep duration was categorized as short (9 hours/day). Self-reported chronotype was categories as 'definitely morning' or 'definitely evening'. RESULTS: Analysis included 3,903 middle-aged adults: 929 short, 2,924 normal and 50 long sleepers; with 966 definitely-morning and 355 definitely-evening chronotypes. Long sleep was independently associated with lower left ventricular (LV) mass (-4.8, p=0.035), left atrial maximum volume (-8.1%, p=0.041) and right ventricular (RV) end-diastolic volume (-4.8%, p=0.038) compared to those with normal sleep duration. Evening chronotype was independently associated with lower LV end-diastolic volume (-2.4%, p=0.021), RV end-diastolic volume (-3.6%, p=0.0006), RV end systolic volume (-5.1%, p=0.0009), RV stroke volume (RVSV -2.7%, p=0.033), right atrial maximal volume (-4.3%, p=0.011) and emptying fraction (+1.3%, p=0.047) compared to morning chronotype. Sex interactions existed for sleep duration and chronotype and age interaction for chronotype even after considering potential confounders. CONCLUSIONS: Longer sleep duration was independently associated with smaller LV mass, left atrial volume and RV volume. Evening chronotype was independently associated with smaller LV and RV and reduced RV function compared to morning chronotype. Sex interactions exist with cardiac remodeling most evident in males with long sleep duration and evening chronotype. Recommendations for sleep chronotype and duration may need to be individualized based on sex

Embryonic paratesticular rhabdomyosarcoma: a case report

INTRODUCTION: An embryonic paratesticular rhabdomyosarcoma is a very rare mesenchymal tumor. It is an intrascrotal tumor that is localized in paratesticular structures such as the epididymis or spermatic cord. Rhabdomyosarcoma is most often observed in children and adolescents, presenting as a painless scrotal mass. CASE PRESENTATION: Our patient was an 18-year-old Moroccan man who presented with a painless left scrotal mass that had evolved over four months. An inguinal orchiectomy was performed. A histological examination of the excised tissue revealed an embryonic rhabdomyosarcoma. Our patient had three sessions of chemotherapy with vincristine, actinomycin C and cyclophosphamide. Each chemotherapy session was conducted over five days, with a cycle of 21 days. Our patient was assessed two months after the last chemotherapy session and demonstrated good clinical improvement. CONCLUSION: Paratesticular rhabdomyosarcoma is a rare aggressive tumor manifesting in children and very young adults. Localized forms have a good prognosis whereas metastatic tumors show very poor results. A well-defined treatment based on surgery and chemotherapy yields good results

A comprehensive characterization of chronic norovirus infection in immunodeficient hosts.

Letter to the edito

A ferroelectric memristor

Memristors are continuously tunable resistors that emulate synapses. Conceptualized in the 1970s, they traditionally operate by voltage-induced displacements of matter, but the mechanism remains controversial. Purely electronic memristors have recently emerged based on well-established physical phenomena with albeit modest resistance changes. Here we demonstrate that voltage-controlled domain configurations in ferroelectric tunnel barriers yield memristive behaviour with resistance variations exceeding two orders of magnitude and a 10 ns operation speed. Using models of ferroelectric-domain nucleation and growth we explain the quasi-continuous resistance variations and derive a simple analytical expression for the memristive effect. Our results suggest new opportunities for ferroelectrics as the hardware basis of future neuromorphic computational architectures

Recommendations for the management of secondary hypogammaglobulinaemia due to B cell targeted therapies in autoimmune rheumatic diseases

OBJECTIVES: The association of B cell targeted therapies with development of hypogammaglobulinaemia and infection is increasingly recognized. Our aim was to develop consensus recommendations for immunoglobulin replacement therapy for management of hypogammaglobulinaemia following B cell targeted therapies in autoimmune rheumatic diseases. // METHODS: A modified Delphi exercise involved a 17-member Taskforce committee, consisting of immunologists, rheumatologists, nephrologists, haematologists, a gastroenterologist, an immunology specialist nurse and a patient representative. The first round identified the most pertinent topics to address in the recommendations. A search string was agreed upon for the identification of publications in PubMed focusing on these areas, for a systematic literature review. Original data was presented from this review to the Taskforce committee. Recommendations from the British Society for Rheumatology, the UK Department of Health, EULAR, the ACR, and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology were also reviewed. The evidence was discussed in a face-to-face meeting to formulate recommendation statements. The levels of evidence and statements were graded according to Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network methodology. // RESULTS: Three overarching principles, eight recommendation statements and a research agenda were formulated. The Taskforce committee voted on these statements, achieving 82–100% agreement for each recommendation. The strength of the recommendations was restricted by the low quality of the available evidence, with no randomized controlled trial data. The recommendations cover risk factors, monitoring, referral for hypogammaglobulinaemia; indications, dosage and discontinuation of immunoglobulin replacement therapy. // CONCLUSION: These are the first recommendations specifically formulated for B cell targeted therapies related to hypogammaglobulinaemia in autoimmune rheumatic diseases. The recommendations are to aid health-care professionals with clinical decision making for patients with hypogammaglobulinaemia

In Vitro Proliferation of Adult Human Beta-Cells

A decrease in functional beta-cell mass is a key feature of type 2 diabetes. Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) analogues induce proliferation of rodent beta-cells. However, the proliferative capacity of human beta-cells and its modulation by GLP-1 analogues remain to be fully investigated. We therefore sought to quantify adult human beta-cell proliferation in vitro and whether this is affected by the GLP-1 analogue liraglutide